Resilient wheel



A. L. SCHULTZ.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

APPLICATION HLED ma. H. 1920.

1,415,486. Pna May 9,1922.

3 SHEETS-'SHEET 2- A. L. SCHULTZ.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

APPucATloN HLED nas. 11. 1920.

Patented May 9, 1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3 States PATENT WFWE ALBERT L. SCHULTZ; OE PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIIA.

Rnsinrnn'r 'wnnnn Specificatior of Letters atent.

' Application filcd February 11, 1320.` Serial'No'. 357,982.

scription of. the invention, such a's will enable othersskilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.4 t

My invention relates-,to'resilient wheels of: the .general type employing rubber cushions' arranged in annular' formation between the inner and outerrimsof'the wheel, and in some of its general aspects aims to provide a wheelconstruction which ca-n readily' be madeto provide a predetermined resiliency proportionedf to the' work to be performed; which will' efectively'exercise a high'driving'to'rque without cramping the cushions or causing abraking action betweendifierent wheel'parts; which will permit an easy'a'lining and assembling of the various parts; which will' be noiseless, and in :which no special fast'ening members will be required'for holding the cushioning'members in operative position.

In one aspect; my invention' relates to vehicle wheels'in which the rubber cushions are mounted on carriersinterlocked lwith the spoles-of the 'wheel and in' engag'ement radia-lly of the wheel withthelinner face of the'outer rim or'tread member of the wheel.

In wheels of this class, it-hasheretofore been customary tol secure the cushion carrlers to thespoke member ofthe'- wheel-by'means of separate" faste-ni-ng members subjected .to strains when -t-hewheel'is Vin operation, tlrus -making the effective operation of the wheel dependent tof-a' considerable extent on the location of .these fastenmgs and on-the eX- tent of movement ofthe cush'ioncarriers about the latter.

. My invention aims `'to provide a construction ln'which the cushion members `vtransmit tl1c-dr1v1ng thrnst without 'being subje'cted to ajrocking movementl andv without .imposing`` strains on any` bo'lts-or similarfasteni-n'g elements,,thereby avoiding both'the friction and wear on such fasteningV elements and the undesirable' effects dueto the use of rockmgly mountedV cushionrng members;

o the 'cushions In another aspect:7 my invention aims to provide 'a wheelconstruction inwhich the cushioning members in:an unloadedportmn Patent-ea May 9,1922; I

of the wheelmay expand to thefull extentaforded bytheir resiliency., while 'still maintainlng-:suflicient engagementf with the outer rlmito avold radial'or lateral movementfiof t'ion' a-imsfV to'provide' cushioning members with portionsvv adapted to'` malntaln continuous contact with ad3a'cent rlm. parts of the to 'the loacl-carrying, positions n'a'further aspectof my' ln'ventlon, I aim to Jprovide cushion'carriers which will ut'ilize ForI this purpose, my inventhe' fulll radialI distance. between 'the `inner i and outerz'rimsofl the 'wheel 'for` the cushion-` mg, andto provide a method ofmounting these. cushionca-rriers which will minimize W the-'proportlon of' each: cushion through which the drlvmgfthrust1s/transm1tted; and

to'arrange the' cnshions so asftoeli'mlnate noise? More parti'cularly, my' invention aims to provide cushionfcarriers so arranged thatthev drivingsthrust in'opposite directions will be transmitted-` through relatively short end portionsofzthe cushion on the carrier, o and preferablyto mount these-carriers.soH

that such thrusts will be transmitted direct by them-tol the spokes'of thewheel. Moreover, myinvention aims to provide'simple means 'forv assembling`` thec--ushion carriers and thehub member of=the wheel in operativev relation-to each oth'er',.afnd toprovi'd'e an assembly for this purposje which will permit the cushion -carriersto ad'justf themselvesautomatically to variations inf-,the fit between-:themand the hub member of the wheel. Still further and more objects will appear fromthef follown'gspeclficatio-n' and' from. the a'ccompanying` drawings,.in w-hich.- o l 'Figl ll is .afragmentary' sideelevation of my inventionw'ith' -portions broken` away to show the arra'ngement of the cushions and the-"tread'V blooks, x

Fig. 2 isan enl'arged-,transverse section through the wheel-taken along the line: 2-2 of Eig; 1. v

Figi. 3 is) a` fragmentary section taken detailed along themedial plane of the wheel and showing one of the cushioninI` members and an adjacent portion of the hub member of the wheel.

ifig. liis a. plan View of the parts shown in Fig. 3.

Big. is a. fragmentary medial section through a wheel embodying` my invention, in which the cushion 'carriers have frustoconical stems soclreted in correspondingly flared spoke ends.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary transverse section through the rim parts of the wheel of Fig. 5.

in the 'tlrawings7 my invention is shown as embodied in a wheel of heavy steel construction, for which general type of wheel my invention is well suited, though 1 wish it nnderstood that this is only one of many types of wheels in which my inyention might be embodied. The wheel as illnstrated' has an onter rim member, desirably made of cast steel, and including a peripheral rim 1 carryingg` outwardly directed webs 2 aifording poclrets for soclteting wooden tre-ad blocks 3 Extending radially inward from the cylindrical rim 1 are a pair of side fianres et' which co-operate with the internneifiliate portion of the rim 1 in affording part of the annular chamber in which the inner (nishioning` means of the wheel are disposed and by which they are housed against mud and other deteriorating influences.

The hub member of the wheel includes spolres radiating from a hub 5 and connected at their outer ends by a cylindrical inner rim 6. Extending' radially outward from 'this rim 6 are a pair of side flanges 7, which flang'es are spaced closer to each other than the corresponding side flanges 4' of the outer ri i member of the wheel. The hub member also includes a plurality of webs ei:- tending transversely of the wheel between the flang'es 7, and these transverse webs desirably include webs S disposed in pairs forr 'ng the outer ends of the spolies, and the portion of the riin 'Z between each pair of these webs 8 is cut away, so that each pair of these webs affords a trough or groove eX- tending across the periphery of the hub member of the wheel. Moreov r, the adjacent webs 8 which form the walls of such consecutive troughs or grocves conyerge radially inward of the wheel towards each other, as indicated in Fig. 3, for the purpose hereafter described.

The outer rim member of the wheel also has a series of equidistantly spaced webs 9 projecting radially inward from the cylindrical rim portion 1 and dividing the annular Chamber between the side flanges 41' into a series of pockets all opening towards the center of the wheel. Each of these pockets houses one of the cushioning members of the wheel, and each such cushioning member desirably consists of a rubber cushion 10 molded upon and reinforced by a metal carrier.

ifiifise This metal carrier desirably has a base 11 equipped with perforations spaced from each other longitudinally of this base so as to permit portions 22 of the rubber to extend beyond this base radially inward of the wheel and into engagement respectively with'webs 13 extending across the outwardly open pockets on the inner rim member, each of which pockets is bordered by a pair of groove webs 8 and the intervening parts of the two side fianges 7. Each carrer plate also has side fianges 17 to hold the rubber cushion in position and also has integral therewith a pair of extensions projecting radially inward of the wheel from the base 11 of the carrier and adapted respectively to enter two of the said transverse grooves or socket formations in the rim of the hub member of the wheel. These extensions or stems desirably each consist of a pair of webs 12 corresponding in length to the length of the said grooves, and these webs are freel'y spaced from each other and inclined with respect to each other to correspond to the inclination'of opposite sides of one of these grooves and these webs 12 desirably are coated on their outer faces with rubber united to the part between the webs through perforations in the latter.

'Vith the parts arranged as described, it will be obvious from the drawings that the hub member of the wheel and each of the cushioning members can readily be slid into their normal relative positions of Fig. 3 by a movement transyerse of the wheel, and that when these wheel parts are alined with each other along the medial plane of the wheel, the side fianges 15 can be bolted in place and will then retain the cushioning members in position. The resilient portion proper of each cushioning member is desirably made of solid rubber and desirably bas its radially outward portion composed of teeth spaced sutiiciently from each other to permit independent flexibility and expansion circuirferentially of the wheel. The rim 1 has projections 21 extending inwardly therefrom and engaged in the space between adjacent teeth of the cnshions 10 so as to limit movement of the rim 1 with relation to the cushions. Moreoyer, each of these rubber cushion parts desirably is molded slightly longer circumferentially of the wheel than the space between two of the consecutive webs 9 on the outer rim member, which webs form the driving dogs on the outer wheel portion. Consequentlya in inserting the cushioning` member into one of the inwardly open pockets between consecutive webs 9, the cushion is somewhat compressed longitudinally, thereby maintaining both ends of the same in engagement with consecutive driving dogs 9. The height of each of the cnshioning` members desirably is normally somewhat greater than the distance between the-basell.. of thecarrier -and the o uter: rim portion 1` when the inner and. outer wheel parts are concentric, so that the eushion will normally, be compressed radiallyof;t .the Wheel and, the main end portionst of: the teeth (which desirably' 'form vparts of a single cylindricalsurface) will normally have their entire surfaces in engagement with the inner face of-the rm 1 in allparts of the wheel. However, When the wheell is loaded, the downward movement. of;` the hub member will compress the lower cushionsl and. will carry the centerv of; the. hub member below the centerf of the `rim member, thereby. tending to lower the teethon the upper cushioning members entirely. out. ofV contact with Vadjacent portions ofv the rim 1, unless the cushions were initially under such. a. high compression radially of the wheel asmight reduce the available resiliency. VTo avoid; the necessity for such a degree oficompression, while also avoiding the possibility of having the cushions move entirely.v out of contact with the treadrimband'l; and thereby causinga noisy and wearing action, I desirably equip each tooth of the rubber cushions with a plurality of nubs or projectionsle extending radially outward of `the wheel beyond the end of the tooth proper. Thus, Figs. 3 and lshow each tooth as having three such nubs, all relatively small with respect to the end of the tooth carrying. the same, so that the resiliency of the tooth will reaclily permit these projections to be pressed down substantially fiat or into alinement with the end of the tooth.

lVith .the cushions thus equipped, I can readily. plan the size'ofE the-'parts'so that when the .wheelis-heavily loaded, the upper cushions will contact with the outer rim member ofthe Wheel only through the driving dogs 9 and vthrough the' nubs 14, as shown in the drawings. rhen, as the wheel revolves, each formerlyV upper cushion gradually has a radiallyinward strain applied to it, which strain first presses the nubs lout of their protruding disposition and thereafter exerts a further compression radially inward of the wheel throughthe entire end of each tooth. This pressure is transmitted to the hub member of the wheel partlyy through the carrier base 11 and the projections 12 .on the latter, 'and partly through theportions 22 of the rubber cushion which extend through the perforations of the carrier base'intofengagement with vthe stiffening webs 13. By thusdistributing. the transmitting of the strainzover the greater part of the length of eachv cushioning. member,` 1 avoid. any tendency towards roclring the latter and consequently avoid the cramping strains or braking action which has proven so serious vin older wheel constructions.

Furthermore, it..will vbe obvious from the drawingsthat the socketed proJections 12 are. relatively 1 close.A to. the ends. of. the cushi ioning member,-,so. that thelr-iaing'. strains in .each direction-.can .beftransmitted through az relativelyashort. portionof Vthe cushion.

is ftransmittech ati such. an oblique aangleto w the. adjacentl' portion ofiV thejrimv 1: and through: suchf shorttportion of the cushion proper, that thisdriving strain: willinot .tend to, slide.1.the' cushions circumferentially of the'wheel. zConsequently,-'.I avoidi the frictionif lieretofore. encountered. in.: inner-'cushionedfwheelsin .whichthe driving. torque hadv to) be transmitted i through z. the entire llength ofthe cushions, ori` at least: through alarge portionof this length, andthereby; avoid both the resulting. heati'ngefecti` and the wear-.fon the associated parts. I' am therefore ab1e.- to. z reduce. the. amount; ofw distortion: to which, the.- '(msliiol'rsf,v are' subjected, thereby utilizing. Vthe resiliency: more effectively, reduoing.. thezpower Vconsumechin the driving -and :increasing the; life'ofxthecushions.

To prevent; mrelative =lateral movementfof i the inner' and outerf wheel parts, A I provide auxiliaryssideflangesfl securedto the. hub.

member ofzthe. -wheel Vat ;opposite sidesof`v the letter 'and 1, slida-bly .engagin'g 'thef ;outerl `faces of the-fian'ges 4:' onftheouter; orstreadrim vportion of fthe `wheel;` These side-:1. fianges desirably have annular portions'projecting -towards and engaging;.eachflother'as shown in Eig. i .Tfh'ef auXiliary fianges 15 are here. shown as simultaneously secured: imposition by bolts-1('f,;.which boltsi desirably extend along the'center; lines ofthe periphe-ral notches-in which the1 projections 12 are'sock- ,ete'd,v andw-hichbolts extend through alined .boresinthe .fianges'Z andthrough bores in the socketedfportions 19? of: the rubber 'cushions7 .which bores.: in.V the. rubber parts .are sufficiently: large .to perinit freedom of 'movementYY for: the b,olt,'and1:to avoid'; any. shear or binding. stran-.fromiany causa In iasseinblmg' thezwheel. as illustrated, the. cushioningv members' are first. slippedinto the-inwardly directed pockets in the outer rimtmember (which may. 'be'done either before or. afterfthevtread blocksA are atta'ched to ;the onterzrim'); sov that these cushioning members lwillbe; dsposed in annular formation within.,v the tread rimA memberv of the wheel; :Then the cushioning membersare all forced somewhat radially outward 'of the cwheelLby; clamps aflixed to the tread rim,

thereby compressing these cushioning members and bringing the tips of the projections 12 to the desired spacing from the axis of the Wheel, corresponding to the peripheral notches in the hub member of the wheel. l/Vhen this has been done, the hub member (with at least one of the auxiliary fianges 15 left off the same) can be inserted within the aforesaid wheel formation by a movement along the axis thereof, after which the other or both of the auxiliary flanges 15 are bolted in position. l/Vith the wheel thus assembled, the auxiliary flanges 15 take care of the side strains and hold the inner and outer wheel portions in proper alinement against such side strains, hold the flanges 4' out of contact with the side portions 17 of the carrier 11, and efiiectively seal the annular Chamber in which the Cushions are disposed. Gonsequently, the entire assembly is easily effected, and the number of bolts required is only that needed for securing the auxiliary side fianges in position. Likewise, by removing the bolts 16, the Wheel parts Can readily be separated for inspection if this should be desired.

The auxiliary fianges 15 are desirably machined to afford a sliding fit against the flanges on the outer rim, thereby completely sealng the annular cushion Chamber against mud and atmospheric conditions which would tend to deteriorate the rubber in the cushions. This side flange arrangement also resists lateral strains, while the socketing of the stems of the cushioning members also aids in absorbing lateral shocks and hence 'prevents crystallization of the metal parts.

However, while I have illustrated and described'my invention in a certain desirable embodiment, I do not wish to be limited to the details of construction and arrangement thus disclosed, it being obvious that the same might be varied in many ways without departing from the spirit of my invention as disclosed in the appended claims. For eX- ample, instead of sliding the stems on the cushion carriers transversely of the wheel into socketing grooves on the hub member, I may make these stems in a frusto-conical form and may socket them in correspondingly shaped spoke ends as shownin Fig. 5. In that case, the cushioning members would be socketed in engagement With the hub member first, and the resulting aggregation of parts would then be forced sideways into the outer rim member with one of the side fianges 20 detached from the latter, after which this side flange would be secured in position as shown in F ig. 6.- In either case, the reinforcing base of the metal carrier is preferably much Closer to the inner rim than to the outer rim, so as to reduee the amount of metal required and to use this more effectively in applying the driving torque in either direction. Moreover, the cushion is desirably secured to the reinforcing base' wai"dly fiaring socket formations, cushioning members each comprising a substantially integral cushion in direct contact with both rims and with the socket formations, and a metal reinforcement imbedded in the cushion and having portions Conformably eX- tending into the socket forinations but kept from direct contact with the latter by parts of the cushion.

2. resilient wheel comprising an outer rim having inwardly directed drivin;` dogs, a hub member havin'g; outiii'ardly directed socket forinations, and cushioning means interposed between the said members; the (',ushioning means Comprising rigid elements having perforated stems conformably fitted in the said socket formations and, cushions carried by the rigid elements and cxtending through the 1,)erforations of the stems into direct contact with the socket formations.

3. resilient wheel comprising an outer rim having inwardly directed driving dogs, a hub member having outwardly directed socket formations, and cushioning means interposed between the said members; each of the cushioning means comprising a rigid element having stems conformably fitted in certain of the said socket formations, and a cushion carried by the rigid element, the rigid element having perforations between the stems through which the cushion projects into direct contact with the walls of certain other soekets of the hub member.

4. A resilient wheel comprising an outer rim having inwardly directed driving dogs, a hub member having outwardly directed socho' formations,,and cushioning means interposed between the said men'ibers; each of the cushioning means Comprising a rigid element ha 7ing stems socketed in the said socket formations; and a cushion carried by the rigid elementand projecting through openings in the latter into direct contact both with the socket forniations and with intermediate portions of the hub member.

In a resilient wheel, an inner and an outer rim, spokes carrying the inner rim and having their outer ends hollow and opening through the inner rim, eushioning members disposed in annular formation between. the rims and each having a pair of stems respectively and conformably socket-ed in the hollow end portions of two spokes, driving dogs on the outer rim extendinp` radially inward therefrom between consecutive cushioning members, each of the said cushioning llO members normally engaging the inner face of the outer rim and the op-posed faces' of two of the driving dogs.

6. In a resilient Wheel as per clairn 5, side flanges on the inner and outer rims Cooperating -to restrct relative lateral movement of the said rims7 and fastening means coacting in securino' the side fianges to the inner rim and in hoIding the cushioning members on the inner rim.

7. In a resilient Wheel, an'inner rim have ing spaced radial Webs forrning pockets, carriers arranged about the rim and having spaced parts extending into pockets adjacent thereto, and a cushion borne by each carrier and having parts extending beneath the carrier and engaged With the onter edges of certain of the Webs in the space between said spaced parts to hold the carrier spaced from the Webs.

S. In a resilient wheel, an inner rim having spaced radial webs forming pockets, carriers arranged about the rim and having spaced parts extending into pockets adjacent thereto, and a cushion borne by each carrier and having parts extending beneath the carrier and engaged With the outer edges of certain of the webs in the space between said spaced parts to hold the carrier spaced from the Webs, said parts being perforated and portions of the cushions extending through the perforations and into direct contact With the faces of the Webs forrning the pockets. i i

9. In a resilient- Wheel, an innerA rim havng spokes With Sockets, carriers arranged about the rim and each having metal perforated bases and perforated extensions the latter extending into the sockets in spaced' relation to the walls thereof, and cushions borne by the carriers and having parts extending through the perforations of'the bases to seat on the rim at points between the extensions and having parts extending through the perforations of the extensions to closely fit the Walls of the sockets.

10. In a resilient Wheel, an inner rim havingsocketed parts, carriers arranged about the rim andhaving rigid projections conformably and closely fitted in the sockets, and cushions on the carriers having parts extending through the carriers and engaged With Vthe inner rim at points between the socketed parts thereof.

Signed at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Feb ruary 7 th, 1920. w

ALBERT L. soHULTz. 

